EXO-S site plan approved

COLDWATER — Work is underway on the expansion of the EXO-S manufacturing facility at 25 Concept Drive after the final site plan was approved earlier this week by the Coldwater Planning Commission.

Community Services Director Keith Baker said the new addition of 25,760 square feet. on the east end of the current building will house a production line, warehousing, tooling and maintenance areas and will fill the 3.5-acre site.

The expansion will also add approximately 1,904 square feet to the front of the current plant to house employee restrooms, a break room and quality control lab.

The company, which starred out as Crocker and later became Camoplast, became part of Canada-based EXO-S this year. Baker said the firm does plastic molding, with John Deere as one of its main customers.

The expansion will add approximately 17 employees to the current staff of 100. Twenty-nine new parking spaces will be added for a total 59. The city required planting 13 trees and 66 shurbs for landscaping.

EXO-S will have to expand the large, city-built storm water retention pond north along Michigan Avenue, which serves all of the industrial park.

Before the site plan could be approved, the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) had to give approval for outdoor storage in front of the building.

That prompted Commissioner Al Swain to move for a zoning ordinance amendment to allow front of building storage by special use permit rather than going to the ZBA.

Baker said side and backyard outdoor storage are allowed by special use permit now. The change would take back to the planning commission from the ZBA decisions on outdoor storage.

Baker said EXO-S tried to obtain more property for expansion from neighbor ASAMA to the north, but could not.

The city has been struggling with outdoor front yard storage with Union Pallet on Race Street for several years. The company is still not in compliance with its agreed upon solution. Baker said the issue would be resolved "before the snow flies."

At the October meeting the commission will hold a hearing to allow 44 North Hanchett St., which is zoned Central Business District, to be used as a residence.

Dorothy Steward ran the Stewart Gallery art and decorator shop there. She now wants to use the old house for her long-term residence.

The building had been used for a number of commercial businesses in the past, including the Ford Realty office.